The Fiend Within
by Nintendo Nut1
Summary: Smashers are beginning to vanish, and a select few aren't oblivious to it. But what they'll uncover is more gruesome than they could ever imagine... Yaoislash.
1. Prologue

A/N: Oh, yeah... I have so much other stuff to do... BUT THIS WAS AN UNFILTERED, UNBELIEVEABLE SHOT OF INSPIRATION! I HAD to get it up! HAD TO! (twitch) ...but yes. :) This fic was inspired by both a random idea and the work of that brilliant writer, Stephen King (heart). The structure and style follows his a bit, with the chapters and the subtly you'll soon see! Here's the prologue; I wrote it up for people who won't recognize SSBM 'cause this is turning out so good, I'm gonna show it to others! Please, read on!

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**The Fiend Within**

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_Prologue_

It all started with the creation of Super Smash Brothers Melee.

Deep within the cosmos, two celestial beings had an idea. One, the right hand, the Creator, known as Master Hand, saw a multitude of races called Nintendians, a group of heroes and villains of destiny from all walks of life, and wished to unite them diplomatically for the better of all. His counterpart (or brother, whichever way you look at it), the left hand, the Destroyer, Crazy Hand, thought of uniting them through a friendly battle tournament to see how their skills matched up against each other. No other alternative was offered.

The message was sent across the worlds of Nintendo. 25 separate Nintendians answered the call and embarked to a small planet named Earth, where the tournament was to take place.

The battles themselves were harmless; the Hands eradicated barriers around each arena to dramatically lessen the amount of damage the Nintendians, now known as Smashers, delivered and took. Over time, these Smashers began to grow comfortable in the Mansion provided and became intrigued by the new world before them. They stayed much longer then they had originally intended, a time in which rivals competed safely, friendships blossomed, and love grew between a few.

Then came January 2003, the dawn of a new year. And a new fear.

What was truly happening was obscure. According to what the Hands told, a monster emerged from the shadows, a mutated clone modeled after the most fearsome of them all, Bowser, the Koopa King. The creature's giant claws could slice through steel, its flame breath as steaming as molten lava. They did not know where it came from, but they knew it was a threat that could bring great destruction. And they banded together and brought it down.

The Hands told them it slipped through the dimensional fabrics of space and time, and that seemed logical enough to believe. But with this victory came more unease.

Just before the beast's appearance, Bowser seemed to disappear off the face of the cosmos. The Koopa monarch, the kidnapper of Princess Peach, the terror of Mushroom Kingdom. Gone.

Some time has passed since the great battle. Time that seemed to slip back into normality. But the dread and anxiety hid under a curtain of ignorance. Which would prove to be their greatest mistake.

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**May 2003**

_Giga Bowser. A complete success, and yet a complete failure at the same time._

_That was what my brother called it. A beautiful creation of power and destruction, with the true bloodlust of a being meant for combat. A glorious mutation that would define the true meaning of battle to those soft, idealistic Smashers. _

_But then it had to escape. It was too anxious, fueled by a bestial, impatience to prove its worth on the battlefield. And those foolish Smashers had to then bond together and destroy our work of art, only because its fighting spirit was too much for them to handle. And my blasted brother had to go and agree with them, swearing to never perform such an experiment again. _

_Idealistic fools. All of them._

_I will show them. I will give them the freedom. I will make them see..._

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A/N: More and more of my fics are having short prologues. I wonder what's up with that. XD Anyways, you all know the drill. Review, please. And have faith! My chapters aren't so long this time!


	2. Mario

A/N: Time for chapter one. Alright... yes, those who have read some of King's work, namely "'salem's Lot," will what I'm doing with my chapter structure, a stylistic imitation, if you will. The chapters will be named after the character(s) they focus on, yadda yadda yadda... Oh, you'll see once you start reading:) Oh, yeah, and before I forget, this is a Link/Roy fic which includes yaoi and slashy goodness. Don't say I didn't warn you. With all that in mind, let's get the ball rolling.

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**The Fiend Within**

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_Mario_

Life had settled in the SSBM Mansion as spring ended and the battles lessened, easing into a lazy summer as the days grew longer and hotter. The air outside had grown considerably humid, triggering the desire for vacations in most Smashers. The head of SSBM himself, Master Hand, had already left for a relaxing week at the renowned Isle Delfino, as recommended by many for the stressed manager, while his brother, Crazy Hand, took over his duties. Many others planned their own escapes, and an air of anticipation cycled its way through the estate.

Even so, all the excitement could not fully cover all uneasiness.

Mario leaned in his cafeteria chair lethargically, his unusually bare, soft fingers drumming on the table without his mind actually acknowledging it. His eyes of aquamarine stared into space aimlessly, only blinking when his stringy, sepia bangs blew in front of them for the rush of air provided by one of the rotating fans, trying to chase away the summer heat. They were currently trained on one of the high windows, the one that the sun's rays would hit the most out of the day, but as of now it was too high in the sky to do so. The blazing afternoon forced him to only wear a simple red t-shirt and jeans, his hat missing to expose sweat-coated, chestnut hair, mussed from constant wear. This physical appearance made him look like a teenager, but the deep though reflected in his face, not to mention the bushy mustache, contradicted it all in an instant.

Finally, his attention was snapped away from the window at the lurching of chairs at his own table. He glanced across to watch the couple of the week, Link and Roy, each take a seat. Like him, they were dressed accordingly to the weather, each with a cold drink. Link had on a green tee with a logo even he couldn't recognize and blue jeans, his long-tailed hat cast away and his long, golden halo of hair pulled back in a neat ponytail behind the elf's tapered ears. Roy had on a black tee with the words "A Pyro is as a Pyro does" in red letters, one of those wild shirts from Hot Topic or something like that. He had matching jeans, his crown removed as not to be ruined by sweat, allowing his untamable mop of auburn locks to settle to its own whim, however wild that may be.

Once they had settled, their eyes, near identical shades of blue, landed on him, noticing the gloom reflected in his gaze. "Hey, you alright, Mario?" the Hylian questioned.

"Mmm? Oh yeah, I'm fine." He sighed, turning slightly in his seat to somewhat face them. "Sure is hot today, ain't it?" he started with small talk.

"Yeah, this week's supposed to be a record-breaker in heat," Link elaborated, taking a swig of his ice water. "If there's ever a time to get away, now's it."

"Got any plans yet?" Roy asked, his hand subtly sliding under the table and resting on his partner's. Link took it tenderly.

"Nothing official, you could say," Mario replied. "Luigi wants to go to Isle Delfino, but we're gonna wait and see when it's not so busy. Right now it's impossible to book passage with the phone lines all tied up. I was barely able to get M.H. in."

"Mmm." The redhead slurped his Icee through the fat straw and swallowed. "'S a shame. You look like you really need a vacation."

The plumber gazed at him hollowly, then looked away, not responding to that comment. It didn't take long for the two to guess what was wrong.

"...the Bowser incident still bothering you?" Link ventured in a reserved voice.

Mario tried to glance back at the window, but at last the sun was in the right position, and the altered rays of light were blinding enough to drive him away. He instead stared down at his shoes. "...There's still no word of his whereabouts... I shouldn't be worried, but..."

"Don't sweat it," the elf interrupted, sparing him the pressure.

"He disappeared before the Giga Bowser attack, right?" Roy asked no one in particular. "How long ago was that? Half a year?"

"Almost," Link nodded, chuckling. "I saw Peach's latest journal entry on her Myspace. She's literally offering herself up for a kidnapping of any reptiles available."

"Heh." Mario gave out one mirthless chortle, his face falling instantly. "...But even he would respond to that by now... Something must've... I don't know..."

Link nor Roy made no comment, glancing at each other. They both tightened their grips on each other's hands in response to the thick tension.

Mario blinked, realizing he had spaced out again. Seeing the unease he had brought upon the two, he forced out a smile and sought to change the subject. "So, you two have any plans yet?"

Roy beamed, cheeks flushed pink. Link answered for him with a sly smirk. "Who says we're planning anything together?"

Mario grinned inwardly. "Oh, come on, I ain't _that_ naïve. Gimme some credit here."

Link laughed, leaning a bit closer to Roy. "Aw, I'm just messing. It's not like anybody doesn't know, anyways."

"Well, duh, that kiss at the Winter Dance last year kinda tipped us off." The trio got a good laugh out of that.

"But no, we have no plans as of yet," Link answered at last once he had recovered.

"Hmm. I heard Fox and Zelda already left for a trip to Corneria."

"I know..." Link's cheery face fell. "It's weird, though... She never told me anything about any trip to Corneria..."

Mario's brow narrowed. "She's still not mad at you, is she?"

"No, she got past it a long time ago," Roy spoke up. "Even _I_ can talk to her without her usual bitchiness now."

"Huh. Maybe she just forgot in the heat of the moment or something." He shrugged. "_Them_ I wouldn't worry about."

"Yo, Mario." A nasal voice behind him got him to turn and face his brother. Luigi wore a similar outfit, as expected, his chestnut hair even more messy than his older brother, who obviously cared more about his outward appearance. The younger sibling was looking more like a rebellious teenager every day, and that was his intention.

He jacked a thumb over his shoulder. "Time to go."

"What, now?"

"Yep. C.H. said two 'o clock's his best time to talk."

"Mmm. Alright." Mario heaved himself out of his chair tiredly. Seeing the couple's questioning glances, he explained, "We're gonna go talk to Crazy Hand about Bowser, see if there's anything we can do."

"Ah, right."

"Good luck."

They watched the brothers leave quietly, the dreaded feeling left hovering through the thick, hot air. Roy shifted and leaned against Link, who in turn wrapped an arm across his shoulder, nonchalantly playing with his ruby locks as both stared down the hallway they had disappeared down. When the environment got too stifling, Roy rolled his head across Link's shoulder and his sapphire orbs dragged up to meet the other pair, a small pout slacking his jaw. His gaze was both loving and wanting.

Link smiled warmly and approvingly as they both stood. Tonight was going to be interesting.

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Mario was never really comfortable when sitting in Master Hand's office, and Luigi's presence did little to ease his anxiousness. Behind the seemingly casual conversations, there always seemed to be another power at work, like a hypnotic voice that told him to push the concerns back to the rear of his mind. But then again, maybe that's the impression the enigmatic glove gave everyone.

It was always the same whenever he asked. "We're doing everything we can" and "We're following a few promising leads right now" and that horrible one, "At least he's not terrorizing Mushroom Kingdom, right?" That one made him sick. Utterly heartless. But he was too polite to point that out, only laughing unhappily with him. Regardless, there was never any news, no updates, no steps forward. The case had been at a standstill since it started.

Nevertheless, Master Hand was ever patient with the urgent plumber, and his words always managed to bring him temporary solace until the guilt hit him again. But he was unsure how long the Hand's brother's patience would last. He did not know the meaning behind his name, and he preferred not knowing.

As of now, he sat in a cushioned chair before the desk, waiting for Crazy Hand to emerge. Luigi sat in a twin chair beside him, looking equally creeped out. Good. That meant it wasn't just him.

After what seemed forever, Crazy Hand entered trough a private door, his slightly twitchy form settling behind the desk as calmly as an insane being could.

Mario shifted in his seat, suddenly uncomfortable. Luigi eyed him, puzzled.

"...Right, then. My brother told me to expect you at least once during his absence." He took on the same intelligent tone as his counterpart, which only worked further on Mario's already battered nerves.

"...So?" he muttered. "Any news?"

"..." There was some time before he answered, as if exploring that two-worded question with careful contemplation. This struck Mario as odd, but he didn't press any further, looking him over futilly. He was a floating glove, for Christ's sake. You can't read the emotions of something without a face. The only clue he had was his voice, and with all that thinking, that was out. It was damned frustrating.

Finally came Crazy Hand's response, which only proved to frustrate him more. "...You're awfully nosy over a missing archrival, aren't you?"

Mario's blue eyes narrowed, his left fist clenched. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Think of your reputation, Mario. What would others think if Mushroom Kingdom's hero was concerned for the well-being of his greatest enemy?"

"_Shut up!_" Mario bellowed. "You think I give a crap about that?"

"We're _all_ worried, C.H.," Luigi spoke up for the first time, trying to be as casual as a frightened kid could be. "Even Peach herself."

"We just want an answer! How hard is that for you?"

The response was an eerily cool and composed chuckle, one you wouldn't expect to come out of an insane being. It sent a flurry of shivers down their spines. "Oh, it's no problem for me. You've been asking the wrong person for the answer you want."

Mario rolled this statement in his mind, then sat up quickly in realization.

"My brother... cares too much about your oh-so-delicate emotions." His voice was dripping with sarcasm. "He feared the truth would drive you all away."

His confidence vaporized. "...w-what truth?"

"That you will never see him again."

It fell on them like a ton of bricks.

Eyes wide, Luigi slowly pushed himself out of his chair. "...Le... Let's get outta here, Mario..."

Mario made no movement, rooted in his seat with that horrified look frozen on his face.

Crazy Hand chuckled again, this time more befitting his sanity level. "Oh, no, you can't leave now. We cannot allow that truth to spread." If he was able to smirk, he would be grinning ear to ear. "But I care not about that. The more of you I corral, the better."

There came a snarl behind the back door, and it shook from constant , rabid impact from the other side. Short of breath, Luigi scrambled for the other door, terrified. He tried to twist the door handle, but it didn't budge.

Mario seemed welded to his chair, face unmoving as if time had abruptly stopped for him.

"Don't worry. This is your liberation. Embrace it."

The door slammed open, and a flurry blur descended upon them. Luigi screamed.

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A/N: So? How is it so far? I put sweat and tears into this, please review!


	3. The Smashers

A/N: Chapter 2! This was a weird chapter a didn't add in until later when I remembered it should be necessary to include all the other characters, not focus on just a few like I ALWAYS do. So, it may be a bit odd to read, but read it anyways! 8D

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**The Fiend Within**

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_The Smashers_

Mewtwo knew something was amiss. He just didn't know what.

The cat-like Pokemon sat quietly in his dark dorm, tuning into his psychic powers and searching for answers. His abilities were well-trained after centuries of practice, so whatever was being hid, it was hidden extremely well.

But Mewtwo was not one to depend on his powers alone. Most psychics shunned trivial sensations such as "instincts" and "deep contemplation," relying on their skills alone. Perhaps that is why most of them lost their mind after countless studies. Mewtwo was much too intelligent to follow in those fools' footsteps.

And so, he thought long and hard. Two Smashers had disappeared without a trace, for he could not feel their brains patterns, not even as far as Nintendo where they should've been. He found Master Hand's, but his thoughts were calm and relaxed and had nothing to do with the situation as he enjoyed the vacation he so sorely deserved. He had searched other Smashers, finding them either clueless or as thoughtful as he was.

Who was left to search?

He was so distracted with his thoughts, before he sensed the presence of an evil beast nearby, it was already too late.

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Princess Peach yawned, bored.

It was her turn this evening to watch the kid Smashers in the Nursery provided, although it shouldn't have been. Tonight was Zelda's turn, but that little skank had run off on her little vacation, and there was no way Samus was gonna take over, oh, heaven forbid. Oh, well, at least the kids were doing a pretty good job of keeping themselves entertained. Ness, the other, younger psychic, was showing off his powers by lifting up various objects in the room. The Ice Climbers, brother Popo and sister Nana, watched in amazement, and Mr. Game and Watch, a 2-D shadow from the Flat Zone of Nintendo, beeped in glee. The two big eaters, Kirby and Yoshi, each had a pie and were competing in a messy contest of who would finish it first.

Peach watched these activities irritably, although she was thankful the Three Pokemon Terrors- Pichu, Pikachu, and Jigglypuff- weren't here to tear up the room like they _always_ did. Usually, she wouldn't be so bored, as little Rinku would be there to talk with her, but his bedtime was earlier than the others, leaving her alone with the rest of them.

She glanced longingly at the door, then back at the kids. Kirby announced his victory while Yoshi disregarded him and continued his meal, while the others were absorbed in Ness' amazing powers.

Eh. They'd be fine if she left for a couple minutes for some fresh air.

She roamed the hallways, leaving behind the cheerful laughter to search for her boyfriend. He told her he would talk to C.H. about Bowser around 2-ish, and it was 5 o'clock right now. Surely the meeting was over by now.

Peach came to the dorm door labeled with his name and rapped a knuckle delicately against the wood. "Mario? Are you there?"

She tried the doorknob, but it was locked, as it always was when he wasn't in. She stared at the door as if trying to look through it.

"...Weird. Where could he be...?"

Peach made her way back towards the Nursery, too wrapped up in her thoughts to sense anything wrong. Then she stopped in her tracks once she realized that she heard no more laughter coming from her destination.

She hurriedly sped towards the Nursery and threw open the ajar door. Inside, a blonde woman in dark clothing faced the children with her back turned to Peach and her ghostly hands directed towards them. The youths sat clustered before her, their eyes clouded and distant as they had fallen under her hypnotic spell.

With a hand still trained to hold them in place, the woman turned to Peach, her creamy, mask-like face solidified with a serene, frightening smile as she gazed at Peach with empty eyes of ebony.

"...Z...Zelda...?"

"_Too bad. You should've been watching the children._"

The woman raised her hand, and she knew no more.

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"That's five more for G-dorf. I'll deal." Captain Falcon cut and shuffled the card deck under the fluorescent lights of the Billiard Room, passing out to himself and three others. Falco rubbed the back of his feathered neck tiredly before taking his. Ganondorf sighed gruffly, his crimson eyes narrowing at his obviously horrible hand. Donkey Kong scratched his large brow in intense thought.

Falcon rearranged his hand idly, then spoke up. "...So, Falco, any news from Fox yet?"

"What am I, his fucking babysitter?" the bird snapped fiercely.

"No, I'm just asking a question! Jesus!"

Ganondorf placed his hand face-down. "I fold."

"Out already? Heh." Falcon reached into his pocket for a Marlboro and his lighter, lighting the corrosive stick and puffing a few clouds of smoke. It was a nasty habit, he knew it, and his girl Samus would be heartbroken if she were to discover it. Heartbroken enough to take her arm cannon and vaporize him on the spot. "Hey, G-dorf, what about Zelda?"

"I don't know," he answered robotically.

"Hmm. Who's betting first?"

"Duuhh... I bet, duh, ten." DK slurred, throwing in a blue chip to the middle of the table.

"And I raise you fifteen," Falco instantly reacted, throwing in a red chip. He knew a bluff when he saw one, even if DK's behaviors were hard to analyze.

Falcon smirked, and knowing this was a harmless game, put down his hand and leaned back in his chair to watch the show. "I fold," he muttered, exhaling wispy curls through his nostrils.

Falco sneered at him, then raised the pot by fifteen again.

DK raised it by ten.

Falco folded, cursing under his breath.

"The pot's your regardless, DK," Falcon said, knowing what was coming next. "Whatcha got?"

DK grinned an innocent ape grin, spreading out his hand. "This!" Ace of Spades, Five of Clubs, Two of Clubs, Jack of Diamonds, and Ten of Hearts.

Falco stringed together such colorful language that wound make a sailor blush.

Falcon howled with laughter, glancing at the clock framed by silvery wisps. 12:30. "Jesus Christ." He lurched out of his chair, crushing his barely expired cigarette in the ashtray. What a waste. "I'm hitting the sack," he announced, leaving with a couple grunts from the others.

He yawned as he approached his dorm, confused when the doorknob wouldn't turn. He then chuckled. "Oh, yeah... That's ri..."

"_Douglas_..."

Falcon jumped when two slender arms wrapped around his waist.

"Huh? Whozzat?"

"_It's me, Douglas._"

He turned around to face a woman that was not his Samus, but in fact that elf princess. What was her name? Z...Zer... His thoughts were cluttered together like stuffed animals, fuzzy and incomprehensive.

"H...Hey there."

_I shouldn't be here. _

She pushed him against the wall.

_If Samus saw us..._

Her dark eyes bore into his.

_I should-_

Her lips ravaged over his.

_...oh, what the hell._

And he was lost.

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A/N: How's that? I wanted to include as many characters as possible. So how'd I do? As for Three Renegades, gimme some time on that one. Just review this one!


	4. Link and Roy I

A/N: Ahem... yes, I'm aware that it's been a while. Sorry about that. Summer's coming up, so that should give me more chances to update. In unrelated news, my birthday passed, YAY! 17 years of living for me! Okay, I'm done. In actually RELATED news, this chappie's fun, cause it includes LINK/ROY SLASH YAAAAAAY! You don't like, don't review, mmmkay? Alright, let's get it on.

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**The Fiend Within**

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_Link and Roy (I)_

Vacations were not the main concern of two entwined lovers as of right now, nor was the permanent dread that had filled the Mansion. Their hands were much too busy.

Link's right hand was caressing the side of his partner's youthfully smooth face, and his lift was under the shirt and running over the other's belly, a finger toying with the cup of his naval. Both of Roy's hands were entangled within the long, blonde locks of hair, smooth as cream as he ran his fingers through it and rubbed the scalp. Even their feet were intertwined, toes curling between each other and sliding across the plush undersides.

Their faces were connected by the lips, exchanging saliva and hot breath as they massaged, waxing and waning as they rocked back and forth to a slow, steady beat. Roy noted how firm Link was with the pressure of the kiss, as if coaxing him to go further. The youth fell victim to desire and pressed his tongue forward, gaining entrance into Link's moist cavern, lapping up his taste in delight. In turn, he allowed the other to explore his own mouth, gagging once when the tongue was moved in too far. It retreated quickly, but not before sliding over the roof of his mouth, teasing him to follow. And, of course, he did so, and the two danced like shy fey in the night.

When at last they separated, the sun had finished its descent, surrounding them in the stillness of the dark. Though it was impossible to pierce far through the darkness, they were aware of each others' presence, laying close to each others' warmth. Roy leaned into his chest as Link wrapped his arms around his waist to pull him in closer. He stuck his nose into Roy's mop of maroon and caught the indescribable scent he loved so much, the smell he only knew as Roy's smell, no one else's.

There really wasn't anyone quite like Roy that he knew. Time had passed, and he had grown older, his body maturing and blooming like a rose, but the generally youthful, vivid personality was still alive and kicking. He had made the boy a man a long time ago, but it was still there, always there, solidified forever with the Pherean. And though Link detested such a corny, overdone feeling, he could not deny that was the reason he loved him most.

"...So..." His voice, stale from current lack of use, broke the silence. "...almost a year and a half, huh?"

"Yup. Hard to believe it's been that long."

"Mmm. We'll be old men before we know it."

"Heh."

"...What's wrong?"

"Nothin."

"Yeah right."

"Prove it."

"Your feet stopped moving against mine."

Damn. Nothing got passed the clever elf. "...Well... I..."

"...Is it Zelda and Fox?"

"...Maybe..." Of course it was. Was he really that obvious?

"Yeah, that's been bugging me, too," he admitted, holding him a little closer in assurance. "...It's like... they just... up and left... No hints toward it or anything..."

"Link..."

"And, I mean, even if she wouldn't tell us, Fox would be halfway decent enough to let us know at the very least..."

"Link, stop it."

"What?" He was puzzled by his partner's plea.

"I really don't want to talk about it. Not now, please..."

"Oh... oh, right... I'm sorry."

"S'okay." Silence. "...Link?"

"Yes?"

"Make love to me."

"...Now?"

"Yes. Here and now."

"... You sure?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Dunno... It's just... odd, that's all..."

"Please." He lifted his head, his eyes seeming to glow in the dark. "I... just, please."

Link was about to say no, that they'd be doing so for the wrong reasons. And then he got caught in that large, porcelain gaze.

How could he refuse those beautiful eyes?

"...Alright." He pulled him closer. "C'mere, then."

Roy shifted closer, the rustling of his clothes loud and near-maddening. His hands slid down and toyed with Link's belt, unhitching it and holding it up victoriously before casting it aside idly.

"Slowly... slowly..."

They became lost in their own engulfed senses.

"There," he sighed. "Mmm... Oh, Roy."

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Morning came too soon. The comforting blanket night had provided was swept away by that damned cheerful sun, like a mother crying out merrily to her kids that it was a beautiful day before kicking them outside to get some fresh air. It was infuriating to those who wanted to stay in bed. But they had to get up whether they wanted to or not.

Link and Roy didn't mind so much. They were in too good of a mood from last night to swear at that accursed ball of yellow in the sky, exiting their dorm hand in hand with purpose in their step.

On their way to breakfast, however, they did not expect to encounter little Rinku in the hallways. The child was considered Link's younger form, due to some time-space continuum screw-up, which caused both his ten-year-old and seventeen-year-old versions to step out at the same time. When the name "Young Link" grew too obnoxious, the Smashers (at least, those who cared) adapted the Japanese name for the younger one to avoid confusion. Despite living with his older self, Rinku was considered to be a normal, Hylian kid, with all the tributes of youth that Link had slowly lost with growth. And that included the naivety.

Link and Roy's hands separated immediately.

"Good morning Rinku," Link greeted the beaming child.

"Morning!" He threw his arms Link's waist in a morning hug. He then gave one to a slightly blushing Roy.

"Good to see _someone_ in a good mood," he said.

"Yeah, everyone else is either really grumpy or not even wanting to come out of their rooms." He pouted adorably.

Link smiled. "Just give them some time to wake up. It _is_ still kinda early."

"Okay..." His feet churned shyly in the carpet. "Are you guys going to breakfast?"

"Yep. Are you?"

"No, I'm not hungry right now." He started a slow walk in the opposite direction of the cafeteria. "See you guys later, okay?"

"Uh-huh."

"See you later, Rinku."

The watched the boy descend down the hall to whoever he chose to greet next. Upon reflex, their hands laced again as they continued their stroll.

"...He's a good kid," Roy commented, ignoring the technicalities of that statement.

"Mmm." Link tried not to think about it either.

"...Why can't we just tell him?"

"Not now..."

"Oh, come on, it's not like he's gonna condemn you. He's you, for crying out loud."

"That's exactly the point. He's gonna be me in the future. If he finds out he's due to realize he's gay... I'm not sure how he'll take that."

Roy looked almost hurt. "... What are you saying?"

"I'm not saying anything about us. But... he's still young yet... I want to wait, at least for a few months..."

"...If you say so..."

Link coiled his arm around his waist, assuring. "Oh, don't be so gloomy." He leaned his chin on his shoulder and whispered into her ear, "Sadness ill fits one of your beauty."

Roy smiled a lovely smile, sighing as he eased into Link's hold on him, the elf's pale hand resting on his abdomen, fingers playing with the shirt's fabric. He was so comfortable, he would've fallen asleep if they had not been walking.

If he was anyone else, he would've pressed the issue of keeping secrets further, but that would've just been hypocritical. Yes, he did have a secret hidden away from Link, one that he felt would be even more devastating than the secret they kept from Rinku. How could the Hylian ever love him if he had known...?

However, in time, they would both learn how dangerous the secret truly was...

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A/N: Gah, I know, short update. But hey, an update's in update. Please review. And PLEASE don't bug me about Three Renegades, that's on hiatus for now.


	5. Marth

A/N: Alright! It's after Grad Night at Disneyland(which I was INVITED to, haven't graduated yet), and I've gotten 2 hours of sleep! 8D But I'm still updating for you guys. Aren't I nice? Hey! Don't roll your eyes at me! Praise my generosity! PRAISE IT! (twitch) Okay, anyways, here's da chapter.

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**The Fiend Within**

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_Marth_

Marth had already gotten his breakfast, but hadn't touched it, too deep in thought. His cerulean eyes were elsewhere, giving the bowl of steaming oatmeal none of his attention. He subconsciously twirled a finger through a strand of his navy blue locks, his youthful face shifting strangely with his thought patterns. And there was a lot the exiled Alteanian prince had to think about.

Things had been getting way too suspicious. People were up and leaving without notice, and no matter how tedious an SSBM summer was, no one would be desperate enough to avoid sticking around for five more minutes to say goodbye or at least let everyone else know they were leaving. Even Captain Falcon, that annoying bounty hunter guy who went and punched a hole in his dorm wall in some blind rage, forcing the Hands to move him into Marth's dorm until they could fix it, seemed to ditch him sometime during the night before. And now others were not showing up for breakfast, probably halfway across the cosmos in whatever Nintendian homeworld they chose to go to, downing a martini on some secluded beach.

No way. That just wasn't possible. Not that instantaneously, and not that many at the same time.

But somehow, it seemed real, as he gazed over the tables at the few bodies that were still _there_. He would've gone on to think some more, but then the doors opened for about the third time that morning, and in stepped two faces he was glad to see. He watched them carefully, and when they had seated themselves, he got up and approached their table, taking his bowl with him.

"Hey, guys," he greeted causally, placing his meal down, only to disregard it again, as he took his seat.

"Hey, Marth," they responded simultaneously.

The clear grins in their voices caught his attention, making him think back to that saying he found somewhere online on some random browsing session: _When you smile, I will know you got laid._

"Busy night in bed last night, huh?" he asked with a knowing smile.

Link's grin grew, and Roy blushed the shade of his hair.

"Ha. Knew it." Without his previous thoughts distracting him, he finally decided to eat, taking his spoon and pulling it out of the gloppy mess. It made an ugly, squishing noise as if protesting before he scooped up a lump and lifted it into his mouth.

"So, Marth..." Link started once that had passed. "You planning on leaving anytime soon?"

He paused, the spoon still in his mouth. He slowly spilled it out between his lips, swallowing quickly for the sake of washing away the god-awful taste. Once it was forced down, his gaze wondered aimlessly in deep thought again.

"...Marth? You okay?"

His glance rested on them, Link looking concerned and Roy's head cocked confusedly. Was there any harm in telling them his deepest fears?

Eh, why not.

"...Well..." He put the spoon back in, slowing sinking into the oatmeal like a lead weight sinking into quicksand. "...You've noticed, haven't you?"

"Noticed what?"

"Smashers are going on vacation without notice. No word, no warning, no nothing. It's too suspicious."

"Mmm, I know what you mean," Link nodded, growing thoughtful himself. "Fox and Zelda up and disappeared without so much as a word..."

"Have you heard that Mario and Luigi have left for Isle Delfino?"

Link's brow furrowed. "You're kidding."

"But Mario was just telling us yesterday that it was near impossible for them to book passage," Roy interjected, puzzled.

"Oh, really?" Marth sounded almost sarcastic. "'Cause C.H. told us they managed to squeeze themselves into a flight there."

"Pssh, yeah right," Link muttered, leaning back and crossing his arms. "I say something a lot more foul happened."

"Yeah..." Roy agreed uneasily. "He went in to see C.H. about Bowser, not the vacation, right?"

"...Maybe he was silenced."

Marth listened to this carefully, like a detective listening to a witness' testimony. When he pulled this all together, he sat up and made a bold statement. "I'm going to investigate."

Their attentions swerved back to him instantly, an expected response. Link's eyebrows went up. "...You're what?"

"I'm gonna look into this," Marth muttered in a more hushed voice, leaning forward as if someone was watching them. "Someone has to, just in case something's _really_ going on."

That seemed logical enough to encourage no further protest, and yet Roy quietly asked, "...You need any help?"

"No, I don't wanna pull you guys into it. Chances are if something's really happening, I might as well be silenced too."

"Well, then, what good would _that_ be?" Link nearly shouted, annoyed. "If you get caught, how will the information get out to the rest of us?"

"..." Dammit. Marth hadn't thought of that. "...I'll figure something out. You guys just hang in there, alright?"

Link sighed gruffly. "I guess so..."

"...Be careful, Marth."

He nodded towards a frightened Roy almost comfortingly. "...You too."

----------

The solitude of night descended as it always did, forcing Marth to click on his desk lamp, its yellow light illuminating the paperwork scattered about. He managed miraculously to get a list from C.H. of the locations where each Smasher was staying, with the excuse of wanting to "look into the places himself." Beside that was a pile of pages printed online, mini-previews of hotels, including contact numbers and times. The phone was lifted to his face in one hand as he spoke into it, idly twirling an orange highlighter in the other.

"...You're _sure_ they never checked in... Mmm. Any idea if they went elsewhere, the Mammal Bay, the Cornerian Hilton...? ...No? Ah, alright. Thanks for your time."

He hung up and popped open the pen, crossing a neon orange line across Fox and Zelda's names. Shuffling through his papers, he found one last number to dial and punched it in. Each beep that pierced through the silence did a good number on his nerves.

"...Hi. Um, I was just wondering, did Mario Mario or Luigi Mario ever check in today? ...No? Are they planning to...?... Huh... oh, right, Mario called in for Master Hand a week ago, I know that... Is there anywhere else besides Hotel Delfino they could've checked into? ... Hmm. Okay. Thank you."

He sighed tiredly, hanging up and drawing another gash through the last names on his list. he took the paper into his hands, looking at it as if it were a complicated puzzle. Every name was marked off. None of them he was able to locate or contact.

He slumped into his chair and made the biggest understatement in history.

"...This is too weird..."

Once he processed this information, a thought came to his mind. He yanked open one of the drawers, pulling out a map of the Mansion that was left at the beginning of the tournament. It had been folded over twice, splitting the map into four sections: three floors and the basement. Marth gazed at it thoughtfully, highlighter in hand as he marked desolate and possible rooms with question marks and other symbols. Then something on the basement floor caught his eye. He never remembered there being more than one room...

Yes. That had to be it.

Hastily, he stuffed the papers into the drawer and shoved it closed. But the second he lurched his chair back, he paused, feeling another's presence. His instincts were proven correct as a deep chuckle filled the dorm, chilling him to the bone as he stayed perfectly still on his chair.

"So... think you've got it figured out, hmm?"

His fingers curled around the chair's base in tension and fear.

"My dear Marth... you may think you have the answers, but truly you haven't the faintest idea of what you've dragged yourself into..."

His neck snapped to the side as his closet door creaked open.

"Don't be afraid. Your time was approaching. Time to get it done and over with, right?"

The room temperature grew hotter, near choking with fumes, while invisible beams of static leaped forth from the threshold as two figures stepped out. They wore near-identical clothing, only distinguished by two balled fists of fiery embers and two opened, clawed hands with blue flashes of electricity jumping from their fingertips.

Still rooted to his seat, Marth squinted to try and identify the seemingly familiar duo. When it hit him, his heart plummeted in horror.

"There is no turning back now."

The two each took a few steps forward. Marth began to physically tremble, eyes bulged in terror.

"Do not fear. This is not sacrifice."

Their eyes snapped open simultaneously, burning red and blue in fury.

"It is evolution."

Before he could so much as scream, they were on him.

----------

Darkness descended upon the entire Mansion as the next hunting began. The three Pokemon, little Pichu, Pikachu, and Jigglypuff, were rounded together by the beautiful witch who had ensnared those before them, along with a wild, rabid woman with a frying pan. Donkey Kong was swept away in his sleep by two psychics, and Falco was visited by his dear friend, or a more demented version. Ganondorf entered his dorm to find a horde of miniature demons within, and he never had a chance against their numbers. After slipping out of her Power Suit, Samus encountered her boyfriend, and before she could protest, he had violently violated her until she lost consciousness.

In the span of one hour, the SSBM Mansion was coated in a veil of darkness and silence.

----------

A/N: Whoof. Yep, not for the younger readers. Yikes. Don't get mad at me for that. Oh, yeah, and that online comment was somewhere on according to my pal, so yeah. Next chappie's gonna be LOOOOONG, so... expect an update in the distant future. XD Just kidding, I'll get it up ASAP. Now review, pl- (collapses from lack of sleep) ...zzzzzzzz...


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